Toilet seat



Dec. 16, 1941. M. JOYCE ...TAL 2,266,641

TDILET SEAT Filed Feb. 2l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @Milly Ilm y Hlm. v

Dec. 16, 1941. VM JOYCE TAL 2,266,641

TOILET SEAT Filed Feb. 2l, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 16, 1941TOILET SEAT Maurice Joyce and Hartwell F. Tucker, Washington, D. C.

Application February 21, 1941, seriaiNo. 380,040

(c1. 'Lr-235) 8 Claims.

`particularly to one embodying aniadapting device Yso that the seat maybe used by children as well as adults.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a seating adapterfor a modern toilet seat which is pleasing in appearance, and which maybe easily manipulated by small children in order to permit them to usethe toilet seat with utmost comfort.

The present invention proceeds upon the principle of providing a pair ofsymmetrically arranged curved plates upon the underside of a modernconventional oval-shaped toilet seat having a corresponding openingtherein which may be decreased in size by the manipulation of the curvedplates pivotally arranged on the opposite sides of the longitudinalmedian of thejseat in order to provide an opening which is. smaller thanthe principal opening in the toilet seat. The curved plates arepivotally mounted at the rear portion of the toilet seat Whereat thesame interfere 'in no way with the hardware with which such seats areprovided. These plates are disposed closely adjacent to the underside ofthe toilet seat, and since they are finished similarly to the toiletseat, arehardly perceptible when the same are swung in their openposition, at the time that the toilet seat overlies these platescompletely. It is a simple matter to swing the plates inwardly toprovide an opening which is better adapted for a child and which may beeasily manipulated by him. Y

It is the object of the present invention to arrange the parts so thatthe same may be conveniently assembled into an existing toilet seat, orwhich may be incorporated as part of the toilet seat in the course ofmanufacture of the latter, for only a small cost.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an assemblyin which the constituent parts may be dismantled conveniently Yforcleaning. This novel arrangement furthermore facilitates the initialassembly of the device, and in one form of the invention, the auX-iliary seat structure is combined with a holding member therefor in sucha manner that the latter may be connected and disconnected from thetoilet seat Without necessitating the use of any tools such as screwdrivers, pliers or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to design the curved plates sothat the same are sanitary and .so that they may be kept clean sleeves,jackets or skirts formed of material haveasily. The invention'comprehends,thegusenof ing a high coefficient of friction for mountingupon the front extremities of the curved plates so that the frictionalcontact between the portions of these jackets in either of the alternatepositions of the plates with the top of the toilet bowl and theunderside of the toilet seat retains the plates in their adjustedpositions.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the more detaileddescription of the invention following hereinafter, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a toilet seat in accordance with the presentinvention in which the seat is shown superposing a toilet bowl andshowing, in solid lines, the curved plates in position for use by achild, and in dotted lines the position of the plates when swungoutwardly and superposed completely by the toilet seat;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view along lines 2-2 of Fig 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the rearportion of the curved platewhereby the plate mountings are rendered easily detachable;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of a second embodiment of the inventionwherein the curved plates and the holder therefor are mounted anddetached from the toilet seat as a unit;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along lines 6 6 of Fig. 5, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing constituent parts of theholding bracket shown in Figs. 5 and 6 to an enlarged scale.

An oval-shaped toilet seat I, provided with a corresponding opening I0,is provided with a pair of curved plates 2 and 3 mounted upon the planeunderside 4 of the toilet seat. The plates 2 and 3 are preferably cutout at their front portions i9 in order to render the same sanitary inuse, and do not affect the comfort afforded by these plates when theyare used by children. A metallic connecting member 5 in the form of astrap extends transversely of the longitudinal median line of the seatat the rear portion thereof, and serves as the sole means to ilX thecurved plates 2 and 3 to the underside of the seat 4 by means offastening elements 6 in the form of screws. The plates 2 and 3 aresymmetrically arranged with respect to the longitudinal median of theseat and are free to move from the limiting positions indicated in Fig.1, to render the seat adaptable to be used alternately for children oradults, depending respectively whether a rey `strictedor full openinginthe seat is desired. In

order to'n'ia'le certain thatl tliecurved plates will remain in theiralternately adjusted positions, sleeves or jackets 22 and 23 areprovided for the front extremities of the curved plates 2 and 3respectively. These jackets are preferably formed of rubber, thesurfaces of which may be roughened in order to increase the frictionalcontact between the plate terminals and the toilet bowl and seatcontacting the opposite faces thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, the frontportions of the jackets 22 and 23 are disposed between the seat and thebowl in the closed position of the plates, while the rear portions ofthe jackets are disposed between a portion of the bowl and the seat inthe distended positions of the plates. The jackets may be made of anyother materials having a desired high coecient of friction to obtain thenecessary holding effect, for example sponge rubber, plastics, or otherresinous products. The curved plates as well as the other elements ofthe assembly may be made of any suitable material such as wood, metal,plastics, or a composition, and the several parts may be made ofdifferent materials, if desired.

The provision of the pivots for the curved plates 2 and 3 at the rearportion of the seat presents many advantages, since the limited movementof the rear portions of the plates 2 and 3 does not interfere with thehardware with which the seats are normally provided. Thus the brackets II mounted upon the underside 4 of the seat offer no impediment to themovement of the curved plates 2 and 3. These brackets are mounted uponthe axle I2 which is maintained in fixed relationship upon the toiletxture by the brackets I3 rotatably mounted thereon and designed to beattached to the fixture by means of bolts and nuts. In addition, thebrackets I'I attached to the cover 20 are rotatably mounted upon theaxle I2.

In order to simplify the mounting and the cleaning of the curved plates2 and 3, they may be provided with slots I6 having lateral offsets I6'at the inner ends thereof, whereby the curved plates may be engaged withthe fastening elements 6 by sliding them in between the seat and theholding strap 5. The offsets I6 facilitate the pivotal movement of theplates while preventing the unintentional disengagement of the platesfrom between the holding strap and the toilet seat.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. to 8, theholding member for the curved plates is constructed as a unit with thelatter, and the comb-ined unit may be conveniently mounted anddismounted from the toilet seat without the necessity of any tools inthe mounting operation. The holding bracket is illustrated as formed oftwo relatively movable parts, each one of which is provided with atleast one engaging member for the toilet seat, and the engagement of theholder with the toilet seat may be executed by the operation of aknurled nut. As shown in Fig 6, the member for engagingthe rear edge ofthe toilet seat 42 is formed of sheet metal and is provided with anupwardly extending clamping-surface 41, which may be suitably jacketedwith rubber to prevent malng 0f the toilet seat cover. Member 42 has adownwardly vextending projection 43 provided with a circular opening 44disposed between wings 4D and 4I extending adjacent the bottom surfaceof the seat. The cooperating clamping member is formed of sheet materialbent in a U-shaped form for effectively retaining the curved plates.This member is shown in detail in Fig. 8. The clamps 36 embrace thefront edge of the rear portion of the toilet seat and may be jacketedsimilarly to clamp 41. The wall 30 of the second member lies below andadjacent to the units 4U and 4I and a bolt 45 is mounted on the insideof the wall 32 and extends through aperture 33 in the latter in linewith aperture 44 in the projection 43. The bolt 45 may be mountedintegrally with the wall 32 if desired, as by a welding or solderingoperation. Alternatively the bolt may be provided with a square shankadjacent to the head end for insertion in a squared aperture 33. Theclamps may be tightened by the movement of the projection 43 towards thewall 32 as a result of the tightening action of the nut 46 on the bolt45, as is clearly evident from Fig. 6. The apertures 34 in the plate 3|of the second clamping member are provided with suitable screw threadedbolts engaging threads in the apertures in order to fix the curvedplates between walls 30 and 3| for pivotal movement. These connectionspermit a selective dismounting of the curved plates from the holdingbracket. This holding member may be modif-led in several respects aslong as the objectives of the detachable connection are attained. Iidesired, slots may be provided in the plates as shown in Fig. 4, fordismounting as described above on the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 4.

While we have described our invention as ernbodied in specific form andas operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, itshould be understood that we do not limit our invention thereto, sincevarious modications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of our invention, the scope of whichis set forth in the annexed claims.

We claim:

1. An oval-shaped toilet seat provided with a corresponding opening andfitted with an adapting device for accommodating the seat for the use ofchildren, said device comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged curvedplates, each pivotally attached at one. end thereof to the rear portionof the underside of said seat while the front portion is freely movablebetween its limiting positions whereat the plate is either superposedcompletely by the seat or the plate extends normally beyond the innersides of the opening in the seat to define a smaller opening thereinladapted for the use of children, and coverings of a material having ahigh coefficient of friction upon the front `portions of the curvedplates for holding the plates in their adjusted positions.

2. An oval-shaped toilet seat provided with a corresponding opening andfitted with an adapting device for accommodating the seat for the use ofchildren, said device comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged curvedplates closely adjacent to the underside of said toilet seat, a holdingmember extending transversely of the longitudinal median of the seat atthe rear portion of the underside thereof, and fastening elementsextending therethrough and displaced from said median for detachablyretaining the rear endsl of said curved plates for pivotal movementaround said elements by the engagement of said fastening elements inopen slots provided with lateral offsets at the inner ends of the Slots,the front ends of said curved plates being freely movable between theirlimiting positions whereat the plates are either superposed completelyby the seat or the plates lextend inwardly beyond the inner sides of theopening ln the seat to define a smaller opening therein adapted for theuse of children. l

3. A toilet seat as set forth in claim 2, provided with rubber sleevesdetachably mounted upon the front portions of the curved plates forholding effectively the plates in either their closed or distendedpositions.

fl. An oval-shaped toilet seat provided with a corresponding opening andfitted with an adapting device for accommodating the seat for the use ofchildren, said device comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged curvedplates closely adjacent to the underside of said toilet seat, a holdingmember extending transversely of the longitudinal median of the seat atthe rear portion of the underside thereof and fastening elementsextending therethrough and displaced from said median for detachablyadjusting the rear ends of said curved plates for pivotal movementaround said elements, said holding member and fastening elements beingthe sole means of attachment of said curved plates to said toilet seat,the front ends of said curved plates being freely movable between theirlimiting positions whereat the plates are either superposed completelyby the seat or the plates extend inwardly beyond the inner sides of theopening in the seat to define a smaller opening therein adapted for theuse of children and the extremities of the plates are reduced in widthto provide an enlarged opening at the front of the adapting device whenthe same is used by children and are fitted with rubber sleeves pressingagainst the bowl underlying the seat to retain the plates in adjustedpositions.

5. An oval-shaped toilet seat provided with a corresponding opening andfitted with an adapting device for accommodating the seat for the use ofchildren, said device comprising a pair of curved plates closelyadjacent to the underside of said toilet seat, a holding memberdetachably mounted at the rear portion of the underside of said toiletseat, and fastening elements on said member displaced from thelongitudinal median of said toilet seat for fixing the rear ends of saidcurved plates for pivotal movement around said elements on oppositesides of said median line, said holding member and fastening elementsbeing the sole means of attachment of said curved plates to said toiletseat, the front ends of said curved plates being freely movable betweentheir limiting positions whereat the plates are either superposedcompletely by the seat for the use of adults, or the plates extendinwardly beyond the inner sides of the opening in the seat to define asmaller opening therein adapted for the use of children.

6. A toilet seat as set forth in claim 5, wherein the curved plates areprovided with rubber sleeves detachably mounted upon the front portionsthereof for holding effectively the plates in either their closed ordistended positions.

7. A device adapted to be mounted adjacent to the underside of a toiletseat comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged curved plates, holdingmeans for detachably connecting said curved plates to the rear portionof the underside of the toilet seat with the front ends of said curvedplates being covered with a material having a high coeicient of frictionand being freely movable between a position whereat the plates areeither superposed completely by the seat for the use of adults and aposition whereat the plates extend inwardly beyond the inner sides ofthe opening in the seat to define a smaller opening therein adapted forthe use of children, said covering material adapted to retain the curvedplates in any adjusted position.

8. A device adapted to be mounted adjacent to the underside of a toiletseat comprising a pair of symmetrically arranged curved plates providedwith open slots at the rear portions thereof, holding means fordetachably connecting said curved plates to the rear portion of theunderside of the toilet seat for pivotal movement comprising fasteningelements displaced from the longitudinal median of the toilet seat onopposite sides thereof and engageable in said slots to function as axesfor the pivotal movement of said plates', the front ends of said curvedplates being covered with a material having a high coeicient of frictionand being freely movable between a position whereat the plates areeither superposed completely by the seat for the use of adults and aposition whereat the plates extend inwardly beyond the inner sides ofthe opening in the seat to define a smaller opening therein adapted forthe use of children, said covering material adapted to retain the curvedplates in any adjusted position.

MAURICE JOYCE. HARTWELL F. TUCKER.

